This invention relates to a display device useful in merchandising articles, and, more particularly, to a shelf device having a pusher member for pushing articles forward on the shelf.
Articles for sale are more appealing when fresh articles are displayed in a neat and orderly manner. Merchandising display shelves are used to enhance appeal by promoting order. Some articles can be arranged neatly in stacks on the shelves, while other articles can be arranged in orderly rows. Unfortunately shoppers have a tendency to topple neat stacks and dishevel orderly rows thereby requiring an attendant to restore order to the articles which is not only time consuming but costly as well. Also, it often places the attendant in a shopper""s path making shopping less efficient. It is desirable to have a merchandising device that helps maintain the articles in an attractive arrangement.
In refrigerator and freezer units in supermarkets and other stores, articles, such as packages of frozen food, such as pies and pie shells for example, are often stacked on wire shelves. It does not take very long for the articles to become disheveled as a shopper removes articles from the rear or as close to the rear as is reachable in an effort to obtain the coldest, freshest or most frozen article available. Articles at the rear of the shelf are difficult to reach, and almost impossible to reach without experiencing discomfort from the cold or damp clothing as a result of the effort. There are track devices for dividing a wide shelf into narrower channels which help keeps articles in orderly rows. Many of these are bulky and unsuitable for use with frozen vegetables, pies, pie shells and other food articles. Also, many shelf devices depend on gravity feed to advance articles forward for removal.
There are pusher devices that push articles on a shelf forward for easy removal, but many of these devices lack ventilation which is required to keep frozen articles frozen. In a refrigerator there must be adequate ventilation to keep fresh foods fresh and frozen foods frozen. Some devices only push the articles forward without addressing dividing the articles into rows. Pusher devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,562,217 and 5,634,564 are specifically designed to push beverage bottles forward but are not specifically designed for fresh or frozen articles. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that it would be highly desirable to have a pusher device that pushes a row of fresh or frozen articles forward while providing ventilation to keep the articles fresh or frozen.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the invention, a merchandising display shelf track device is adapted to receive articles for sliding movement therealong for dispensing the articles one at a time. The device comprises a base member having a front end portion, upstanding sidewalls connected to the base member forming a U-shaped structure with a front end portion, a rail connected to the base member between the sidewalls, and a pusher mechanism adapted to ride on the rail and push the articles toward the front end portion of the tubular housing.
Spacer panels attached to the base member adjacent the sidewalls provide a pathway for the circulation of air. The front end portion of the base member extends forward more than the front end portion of the U-shaped structure so that the sidewalls do not obscure the pie or other merchandise. An upturned portion of the front end portion facilitates displaying a lead article or a stack of lead articles and positions the top lead article for easy removal. As the bottom article is removed, the pusher mechanism pushes the next stack of articles forward. The upturned portion of the front end portion acts as a stopper panel to retain the articles in the device until removed by a consumer.
According to another aspect of the invention, a merchandising display shelf track device comprises front and rear members, a bottom rail connected to the front and rear members that extends longitudinally between the front and rear members, a first top rail connected to the front member and positioned at a higher elevation than the bottom rail with the first top rail extending longitudinally between the front and rear members, and a second top rail connected to the front member and positioned at a higher elevation than the bottom rail with the second top rail extending longitudinally between the front and rear members. The first and second rails are spaced from one another and the top and bottom rails form a cradle adapted to receive the articles.
This cradle is formed of wire or plastic to support articles such as pies or pie shells on edge in an upright position. A pusher mechanism connected to the bottom rail ensures that articles are pushed forward for easy dispensing. A front panel attaches to the front member to provide product identification.
A tube positioned about the top and bottom rails and fastened to the bottom rail extends longitudinally so that a portion of the top and bottom rails extend longitudinally inside the tube. The pusher mechanism is located inside the tube and fastened to the bottom rail.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a merchandising display shelf track device adapted to receive articles for sliding movement therealong comprises a base, a bottom rail connected to the base extending longitudinally along the base, and a tubular housing connected to the base and positioned about the bottom rail so that a portion of the bottom rail extends longitudinally inside the tubular housing. A pusher mechanism connected to the bottom rail pushes article forward for dispensing. A front panel attached to the front member acts as a stopper to prevent articles from being pushed off the device.
The tubular housing easily accommodates circular articles such as pies and pie shells with the articles standing on edge. A pusher mechanism connected to the bottom rail pushes the articles forward for dispensing one at a time. A cover panel covers a coil spring that provides the force for pushing the articles forward. The cover panel shield fingers from the spring while restocking the articles on the shelf.
The door panel closes to keep articles, such as frozen pies or pie shells, frozen while allowing access to remove one article at a time. A square or rectangular tube accommodates boxes of pies or pie shells with the shells sitting on their bottoms rather than their edges which allows a full view of the front of the container. The door panel allows pies to sit flat and be removed one at a time by naturally lifting and pulling forward.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a merchandising display shelf track device adapted to receive articles for sliding movement therealong comprises an elongated tubular housing having an interior sidewall and a front end portion, a rail connected to the interior sidewall, and a pusher mechanism adapted to ride on the rail and push the articles toward the front end portion of the tubular housing. The tubular housing has four interior sidewalls and the rail is connected to any one of the sidewalls. A door panel is connected to the housing and is pivotable between open and closed positions. At the closed position the door panel covers the front end portion to block access to the interior of the housing so that cold air stays inside the housing. At the open position the door panel allows access to the interior through the front end portion so that articles can be removed. The door panel is preferably hingedly connected along its top to pivot vertically between the open and closed positions.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings